Bezalel ("in the shadow of God") was so named for his wisdom (Berachot 55a).

Bezalel went up to Mount Sinai, where he was shown the construction of the Tabernacle as if it were already made in Heaven (Midrash Shir HaShirim, ed. Buber 32).

For Bezalel’s extreme dedication to the building of the Tabernacle, the Holy One, Blessed is He, did not withhold his reward. Scripture made him known over every item that was constructed; that is, "Bezalel made the table, Bezalel made the altar..." (Shemot Rabbah 50:3).

"Bezalel made the Ark" (Exodus 37:1). Why did the other wise men who made the Tabernacle not make the Ark? Because Bezalel kept the covenant, he earned this privilege (Zohar 2:214b).

His destiny was revealed by the Holy One to Moses: "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship" (Exodus 31:1-5). Not a bad curriculum vitae. Not only was he Divinely recommended, Bezalel finished the work on time! That is, with Oholiab’s assistance, this master craftsman constructed the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the ark-cover, the table and its vessels, the candlestick, the altar and its vessels, the priestly garments for Aaron and his sons.

So redoubtable was Bezalel’s skill and knowledge that the Jewish-Greek philosopher, Philo, viewed the artisan as a symbol of pure knowledge. Indeed, his very name begs for interpretation, and the rabbis do not hesitate. Although his lineage is traced to the aristocratic tribe of Dan, he transcends his earthly roots and acquires an existence and a reputation that can only be described as Heavenly. Dwell "in the shadow of God" and great mysteries shall be revealed to you. The meaning of Bezalel’s name heralded his future as an artist and artisan, even though he could have not possibly apprenticed for this craft in the Wilderness. Whence his greatness? Whence the greatness of any of Judaism’s Gedolei HaDor - "Most Exalted of Each Generation?" Bezalel’s story adheres to a common Biblical motif. That is, it was all preordained. As Philo reckoned, what distinguished Bezalel from Moses is that the former knew God by seeing the "Divine shadow," that is by seeing only God’s works; whereas the latter saw only God Himself.

Loved and adored by his admiring contemporaries and awestruck future religionists, Bezalel was granted five other names: Reaiah ("the seer"), Shobal ("the builder of the dovecote," a synonym for the "Tabernacle"), Jahat ("the dreadful"), Ahumai ("the unifier of Israel"), and Lahad ("one who beautified Israel," or "one who was near to the poor") (Exodus Rabbah 40:4).